Traction-engine.



No. 706,685. Patented Aug. 12, I902.

J. S. PFREMMER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 28, 1902.)

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m: mums warms co., PHDTO-LITHO WASNINGTON, by c No. 706,685. PatentedAug. I2, I902.

J. s. PFR'EMMEB.

TRACTION ENGINE.

, (Applicatidn filed Apr. 28, 1902) (No model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOSEPH s. PFREMMER, OFLFOUNTAIMTMINVNESOTA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 706,685, dated August12, 1902. Application filed hp ril 28,1902. Serial No. 105,100. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. PFREMMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fountain, in the county of Fillmore and State of Minnesota,have invented certain newan'd useful Improvements in Traction-Engines;and I do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethesame. The invention relates to traction-engines. The object of theinventionlis to provide a traction-engine the boiler of which is capableof vertical adjustment at one end, whereby it may be maintained in atrue horizontal position while the engine is in the act of eitherascending, or descending a hill, thus equally distributing the Waterthroughout the entire length of the boiler.

With the above and other objects in View, which will readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, said inventionconsists in certain novel features of construction and combination andarrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully.

described, defined in the appended claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractionengine illustratingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the forward end of the engine,taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a frontend view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the axleblock, theforward end of the reach, and a fragment of the axle. Fig. 5 is an endview of the same and a fragment of the axle. Fig.

6 is a cross-sectional View through the line Fig. 7 isa view of theclutchgdovetail construction.

in the form of a yoke, the vertical members 7 of which have a dovetailconnection with the guideways 5 to permit of the raising and lowering ofthe forward ends of the boiler in a manner presently'to appear. Thelower end 8 of'this frame is provided with a longitudinal guideway 9, ofdovetail construction, adapted toengage a block 10, preferably of Thisblock 10 is secured to a bail portion 11, and between the bail portion11 and the block 10 extends the axle 4. A king-bolt '12 passes throughthe block 10, axle 4, and hail l1 and is provided with the usualclampingnut 13. 12 denotes a reach, the forward end of which is hingedto the block 10 and the rear end to a fixed part of thetraction-engine-as, for instance, the boiler fire-box.

In raising or lowering the forward end of the boiler it describes thearc of a circle whose center is coincident with the rear axle 14 of theengine. Hence there must be a relative movement between the axle 4 andthe frame 6 to permit'of the raisingand lowering of.-the forward end oftheboiler. By connecting the frame 6 to the axle in the manner justdescribed such movement is permitted.

1 15 denotes thepower-shaft of the engine, and lfi-idenotes acounter-shaft, each shaft being journaled in suitable bearings attachedto the shell of the boiler. 1 '7-denotes a gear- Wheel loosely mountedon said shaft 15, and 18 denotes a clutch of any suitable form andconstruction, also mountedon said shaft, the

construction being such as to permit of the locking of the gear-Wheel tosaid shaft to rotate therewith.

19 denotes an operating-lever, and 20 denotes a link connecting saidlever to the clutch.

i 21 denotes a crank-wheel fixed to one end of the shaft 16, and 22denotes a crank-arm ,fixed to the opposite end of the shaft 16.

23 denotes a gear-wheel, preferably of the worm type. This gear-wheelmay be formed integral with or on the periphery of the crankwheel 21 andis engaged by a worm 24, fixed to a shaft 25, journaled in bearings 26and. having a gear-wheel 2'7 in mesh with the gearwheel 17.

28 denotes a link, the upper end of which is connected to a wrist-pin29, projecting from the face of the crank-wheel, and the lower end ofwhich is pivoted to one of the arms 7 of the supporting-frame 6. Asimilar link 30 is connected to the crank 22 and to the other arm 7 ofthe frame 6 on the opposite side of the machine.

In operation, assuming the traction-engine to be traveling upgrade andit be desired to maintain the boiler in a true horizontal position, thelever 19 is operated to fix the gear 17 to the shaft 15, thus causingsaid gear to rotate said shaft and through the intermediate gearing toimpart a rotary movement to the crank-wheel 21 and crank-arm 22.Assuming the parts to be in theposition shown in Fig. 1 and thecrank-wheel to be rotatingin the direction of the arrowindicatedthereon,the forward end of the boiler will be lowered, and when itreaches a true horizontal position the lever 19 is operated to disengagethe gear 17 from the wheel 27 and the worm 24 will lock the Worm-wheel23 from rotation, and thus hold the boiler in a true horizontalposition. When the engine reaches a horizontal grade, it of course willbe necessary to lower its forward end, so as to make the boiler parallelwith the grade. The lever 19 is again operated to set the crank-wheel inmotion, and this wheel rotatingin the same direction will at the instantit carries its crank-pin 29 past a vertical line drawn through the axisof the Wheel begin to elevate the forward end of the boiler until theboiler is in the true horizontal position and the crank-pin is at apoint directly opposite the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.The engine is now traveling upon a level road; but supposing a downgradeis encountered the wheel 21 is again set in motion and rotates in thesame direction, and at the instant the crank-pin 29 passes a line drawnhorizontally through the axis of the wheel the forward end of the boilerwill be elevated. The cran k-wheel is free to make a complete rotation,and when the crank-pin thereof is at its highest point of rotation theforward end of the boiler is at its lowest point of adjustment. When thecrank-pin is at its lowest point of rotation, the forward end of theboiler is at its highest point of adjustment, and when the crank-pin isupon either side of a line drawn vertically through the axis of thecrank-wheel and is equidistant between the highest and lowest point ofthe crank-wheel the boiler isin a true horizontal position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, mode ofoperation, and advantages of my improved traction-engine will be readilyapparent without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a traction-engine, the combination with a boiler and the frontaxle and Wheels journaled thereon; of a supporting-frame having alongitudinal sliding engagement with the axle and a sliding engagementwith the boiler, and means for vertically adjusting the boiler withrespect to the supportingframe.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination with the boiler, itstraction-wheels and the forward supporting-wheels and their axle; of aframe having a longitudinal sliding connection with said axle, saidboiler having a vertically-adjustable connection with said supporting'frame, and means for adjusting said boiler.

3. In a traction-engine, the combination with a boiler and itstraction-wheels and its forward supporting-wheels and their axle, aframe connected to said axle and having vertical standards, guides fixedto the sides of the said boiler and engaging said standards, a shaftjournaled to said boiler, cranks connected to said shaft, linksconnecting said cranks to the vertical members of the supportingframe, aworm-wheel mounted to turn with said shaft, a Worm in mesh with saidwheel, and means for rotating said worm.

4. In a traction-engine, the combination with a boiler, itstraction-wheels and its forward supporting or steering wheels and theiraxle, a frame connected to the axle and having vertically-disposedmembers, guideways secured to the sides of the boiler and having adovetailed sliding connection with said vertical members, a shaftextending across the boiler and provided at one end with a crank and atthe other end with a crank-wheel having formed thereon or made integraltherewith a worm-wheel, links, one connecting the crank-wheel with oneof said vertical members and the other connecting the crank with theother vertical member, a worm in engagement with the worm-wheel, andmeans for 1'0- tating the worm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH S. PFREMMER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS I. GARRATT, ROBERT E. LINN.

IIO

